Sheet catcher



Juiy 27, '1943.

M. MEYERS SHEET CATCHER Filed July 50, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 27, 1943. M, MEW-:Rs 2,325,418

SHEET CATGHER Filed July 30, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Fla-:1 1,

CHAIN REVERSE ROLLER TILT CAM Tcl-IER TILT CAM CIB 'A SWITCH 5 CI B CATCHER Tun- CAM I ROLLER TILT ROLLER TI T C J: /C/,Qfz MEYER@ H Mgi- @f5 I f Pat'ented July 27, 1943 UNITED ASTATES PATENT oFFlcE SHEET cA'roHER Michael Meyers, Gary, Ind. Application July so, 1941, seriaiNQ. 404,723 olaims. (ol. sog-47) This invention is an improvement on automatic sheet catcher tables voi? the type disclosed in the Mcl'lvried et al. Patent No. 2,056,108, which issued September 29, 1936. The main object is to automatically match sheet packs when using such a catcher table, to'permlt automatic, multiple pack rolling.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a catcher table embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top view oi' the same;

Figure 3 is a Wiring diagram of an automatic rcontrol system embodying the principles of the invention; and

Figures 4 and 5 are developments of master switches embodied by the systems of Figure 3.

More particularly, Figures 1 and 2 show a vertically rocking frame I, journaled by a support 2 with a swinging end opposite the rolls 3 of a sheet mill. This frame mounts laterallyspaced chains 4, these running its length and forming ay sheet pack conveyor which raises and lowers with rockringof the frame. An electric motor 5 works through a gear reduction unit 6 to power a shaft 'I working a frame rocking unit 8, this motor 5 thus constituting a conveyor raising and lowering means. A reversing electric motor 9 works through a drive IU to power a sprocket shaft Il having sprockets engaging the chains 4, this motor 9 thus constituting a reversing conveyor-driving means. The arrangement is such that the conveyor receives sheet packs from the rolls 3, when it is lowered, and returns them to the other side of the rolls, when it is raised, this requiring its reverse driving.

The apparatus as so far described, is substantially the same catcher table as is disclosed by the aforementioned patent. It differs from the patented catcher table, however, by having shafts I 2 journaled below the traveling path of the conveyed sheets, parallell the conveyor chains 4, which shafts mount stops I3, these comprising levers which can -be turned up into the traveling path of the sheet packs to form abutments for their leading edges. Thus, packs successively delivered to the conveyor chains are successively stopped in superimposed, matched relation, and are then returned in multiple upon raising and reversing the conveyor chains. To aid this action, raisers I4 are positioned beneath the chains 4 in front of the stops, to provide the conveyor with inclining and declining travel to the stops, so that when the leading edges of a succeeding sheet pack engage these stops, its trailing edges are raised from the conveyor by hanging over the inclining travel portion of the same, this permitting the conveyor chains to drive the leading edge of a succeeding sheet pack beneath the raised, trailing edges of the rst, to the stops I3 to form a multiple. The chains slip respecting the preceding sheet pack while driving the succeeding sheet pack therebeneath. Suitable means are provided for adjustably xing the stops I3 at different positions along the shafts I2, as required to best handle diierent lengths of sheet packs.

Turning of the shafts I2, to swing the stopsl3 from operative to inoperative positions, is effected, through levers Ila, by an electrically powered thruster I5. The operation `is automatically controlled, in conjunction with automatic control of the catcher. It' is to be understood that the sheet packs must be rolled singly, one or more times, before being matched and rolled in multiple. y

The system effecting the described automatic operation is shown by Figure 3. This system isy electrically powered by lines LI and L3 and is controlled by the drum-type master switches MSI and MS2, developed in Figures 4 and 5, respectively.

When the sheet packs are to' be handled two packs at a, time, but are not to be matched and rolled in multiple, MS2 is turned to No. 1 position, this opening all its contacts, excepting I6 and Il, which remain closed, MS2 then being left at this position. MSI is now turned to its automatic position, this closing contacts I8 and I9, and i8 and 20. Contacts t8 and i9 close the circuit to relay solenoid FCwhich operates the forward powering contacts, not shown, of the roller table chain' motor, not shown. 'The solenoid AC is already energized, this closing the forward powering contacts, not shown, of the catcher table chain motor 9, CIA being normally closed.

Now the roller brings two packs from the fur` nace and sends the iirst of these through the mill, this pack operating the iiag switch on the catcher table, the flag of this switch being shown in Figure 1 at 2|, and closing the contacts 22 and 23 which energize the solenoid CIA whose contacts CIA seal it in circuit, and which contacts 22 and 23 also energize the solenoid AB whose contacts maintain. the solenoid of AC energized as 'long as contacts 22 and 23 are closed. When the ilrst pack passes over the flag 2|, which' is then free and allows contacts 22 and 23 to open, solenoids AB and AC deenergize so as to stop the catcher chain motor, the contacts CIA and solenoid AC being now open, while flag switch con- CI seals itself energized, AB solenoid energizes,

as before, and energizes the AC solenoid so that the chain motor again starts to drive the chain forward until this pack clears the flag 2i so that AB solenoid deenergizes and opens the circuit,

'through AB contacts opening,to the AC solenoid,

the catcher chain motor now stopping.

When contacts 24 and 25 closed, solenoid C2 was energized and sealed in this state by its contacts through contacts 23 and 2l, this energizing AD solenoid so its contacts energize and seal solenoid AC. The contacts CZ energize the solenoid RC, which closesthe contacts, not shown, which power the catcher chain motor 9 for reverse operation. Solenoid CT is simultaneously energized, this operating contacts, not shown, which connects the catcher raising motor to its power source. Asy the catcher raises it works a cam switch which opens contacts 28 and 29, this deenergizing CT, ClB, CIA and CI solenoids, but solenoids C2 and AD remain energized.

As the packs leave the catcher table theywork the nag 21| which again closes contacts 2 2 and 23 Vso that the previously described operation is repeated, excepting that the motor 3 is operating reversely. j

A cam switch worked as the catcher table raises or lowers, causes operation of the roller table raising and lowering motor, so the roller table r raises and lowers with the catcher table. Thus, it is ready to receive the packs from the catcher. This arrangement is shown by the named patent.

When the last pack leaves the flag 2 I contacts 2d and 25 close, so the motor 5 again operates to lower the catcher table, contacts 22 and 23 opening until again operated by a pack from the mill so the cycle repeats. As the catcher table lowers, the roller table also lowers as previously described. Contacts 28 and 2l open as the catcher 'table lowers, this opening the circuit vholding C2 and AD energized, and resulting in the roller table motor being reconnected for forward driving of the roller table chain.

Upon completion of rolling, the switch MSI is turned to run-out position, so contacts I8 and 2l! open, throwing the nag-operated contacts 22 and 23 out of circuit. Therefore, the roller and catcher table chain driving motors continue to v operate forwardly so the packs clear the apparatus. v

'I'he automatic system for controlling the thruster is such that the foregoing operation occurs one or more times, and, after a predetermined number of work passes the thruster is operated to cause matching, and then becomes inoperative until the resulting matched packs go through the operation another-predetermined number of times, when they are nally run out.

To match after one rolling pass, the switch MS2 is set, to No. 2 position, with MS! set for automatic operation, this closing MS2 contacts I6 and Il, 30 and 3I, and 32.and 33 whilecontacts 34 and IB, and 35 and noid T is energized which closes contacts, not shown, which energize the tlu'uster I5 so the stops I3 raise and the packs are matched as described. The described cycle proceeeds to occur,

the cam 3s being fixed to theshaft 1, which'con- 32, are opened. Now sole- A cam 36' closing contacts'31 as the' table rises,

packs are now matched so tacts 31 energizesolenoid TA through contacts T closed by the solenoid T. Normally closed contacts TA now have opened to deenergize T so the stops I3 move to inoperative positions. Normally open contacts TA have closed to seal solenoid TA in circuit, while normallyopen contacts T have closed so that the previously described cycle occurs automatically each time the flag 2l is contacted, it being remembered that the they cannot operate this iiag twice as before. When the matched packs are run out, contacts I3 and 20 must be opened and this breaks the circuit to solenoid TA so contact TA" opens.

To match after two passes of the packs through the mill, MS2 is turned to No. 3 position so MS2 contacts I6 and Il, 3i) and 3l, and 35 and 32 are closed, while 32 and IB,-and 32 and 33 are opened. This does not energize the solenoidT because 32 and 33 are open, so the catcher goes through one cycle without the stops moving to operative positions.

As the catcher lowers, cam 38 on the shaft 'l turns and closes contacts 39 which energize solenoid T so the stops move to operative positions. Matching now occurs when the packs come through the mill on their second pass, and the.

`contacts 33 which energize solenoid TB which closes contacts TB, but this does not energize T because contacts d are open, so another cycle occurs without matching. Now the catcher table lowers to receive the packs which, still unmatched, are on the roller table for their third pass through the mill.v As the catcher table lowered from this last cycle, lcam 4I closed contact 2Q, which energizes the solenoid T so the stops moved to operativeposition, matching now occurring. The operation then proceeds as described in connection with one or two passes.

claim:

l. A sheet rolling mill catcher comprising a raising and lowering work conveyor having raising and lowering means and reversing driving means, said conveyor receiving work leaving a mill when it is lowered andreturmng the work to the other side of .the mill when it is raised, said kcatcher being characterized by having a work stop positioned to successively stop work units successively received by said conveyor and con` veyed from the mill, so the units are superimposed in matched relation for return to the other side of the mill, said stop comprising an abutment for the leading edges of the work units and said conveyor having inclining and declining travel to said abutment so a'work unit when lstopped by said abutment has its trailing edge separated from said conveyor to permit the latter to drive a succeeding unitthereunder.

2. A sheet rolling mill catcher comprising a raising and lowering work conveyor having raising and lowering means and reversing driving means, said conveyor receiving work leaving a mill when it is lowered and returning the work to the other side of the mill when it is raised, said catcher 'being characterized by having a solenoid' work stop positioned to successively stop work units successively received by said conveyor and conveyed from the milLso the units are superimposed in matched relation for return to the other side of the mill, said raising and lowering 5 means and said reversing driving means having an automatic control system causing sequential raising and lowering of said conveyor and reverse driving thereof in automatic response to its receipt and delivery of the work units, and said l0 work stop being movable to operative and inoperative positions, having means for moving it to said positions and being provided with `an automatic control system for the last-named `means rendering the latter automatically responsive to 15 the operation of the mst-named system to cause movement of said work'stop to operative position upon the receipt of work units by said conveyor a predetermined number of times, and to cause other predetermined number oi.' times.

3. A sheet rolling mill catcher comprising a raising and lowering work conveyor having raising and lowering means and reversing driving 25 work stop positioned to successively stop work 30 l its movement to inoperative position after receipt 20 f and delivery of work units by said conveyor anunits successively received by said conveyor and conveyed from the mill, so the units are superimposed in matched relation for return to the other side of the mill, said raising and lowering means and said reversing `driving means having an automatic control system causing sequential raising and lowering of said conveyor and reverse driving thereof in automatic response to its receipt and delivery of the work units, and said work stop being movable to operative and inoperative positions, having means for moving it to said positions and being provided with an automatic control system for the last-named means rendering the latter automatically responsive to the operation'of the first-named system to cause movement of said work stop to operative position upon the receipt of work units by said conveyor a predetermined number of times, and to cause its movement to inoperative position after receipt and delivery of work units by said conveyor another ypredetermined number of times, said stop comprising an abutment for the leading edges of the work units and said conveyor having inclining and declining travel to said abutment so a work unit when stopped by said abutment has its trailing edge separated from said conveyor to permit the latter to drive a succeeding unit thereunder.

MICHAEL MEYERS. 

